We often allow training to fall aside when we don’t feel up to it, but those who persevere find that exercise itself brings a revitalising energy. And so by making the effort we find the energy to exercise, rather than the other way around.

Viriya is a Buddhist term that describes courageous energy - dedication, perseverance, strength of heart in the face of challenges. It says never give up, as the next time you try may be the time when things all fall into place. The term is used to describe effort in meditation practice, but is equally applicable to sport. Your effort should be consistent without expectation of results. That means the numbers that count are the hours of training you put in behind the scenes, not necessarily the numbers on race or match day.Holding on to a certain outcome can become a block to effort and energy. Of course its importance to set a goal, but once set and training planned to achieve it; let go of expectations and trust your viriya.Use your energy wisely. Do not over-exert as to cause harm to yourself. Listen to the wisdom of your body when it says you really are too tired to train [I find monitoring my heart rate daily helps for this]. The art of making an effort is in knowing when to push to your edge and when to soften. And we can practice that mentally and physically both on the yoga mat and the treadmill or bike. So make a heroic effort today - try something different, play at your edge and see what happens... I’m sure you’ll feel better for it!